Embrace the Grind

How does a major university wrestling program thrive as a club program rather than varsity? Coach Dave Guerrero has an answer that has nothing to do with money. In this episode of The Grappling Monthly Podcast, we sit down with UCLA Wrestling and Judo head coach Dave Guerrero, club president Christopher Tran, and social media lead Tilly Kakuk to look at collegiate wrestling from the inside: a club-level program built and rebuilt, run today under the NCWA (National Collegiate Wrestling Association), fully self-funded, and stacked with students from PhD candidates to state champions. We cover how a ten-week training block is actually built, why the UCLA room only meets twice a week and what happens in those two days, the real math behind who makes it from high school wrestling to college wrestling, why "the room" matters more than any single tournament result, and what it looks like when a jiu jitsu guard puller walks into a wrestling room for the first time. Coach Dave Guerrero runs a highly competitive co-ed club wrestling program that competes in the National Collegiate Wrestling Association (NCWA) and against local junior colleges. Christopher and Tilly compete and organize with UCLA Wrestling. Follow the program at www.instagram.com/@uclawrestling or visit https://uclaclubsports.com/sports/wre... for more information About Grappling Monthly Grappling Monthly is an independent editorial media brand covering the culture, people, and business of Brazilian jiu-jitsu and the grappling arts. Based in Los Angeles, the brand produces in-depth conversations with the coaches, gym owners, competitors, and practitioners shaping the sport. The Grappling Monthly Podcast is the flagship property. A weekly long-form interview series hosted by Sébastien Maniatopoulos, a BJJ black belt establishing roots in the Southern California grappling community. The brand's editorial focus is on the human stories behind the art: how academies are built, how practitioners evolve, how the culture of jiu-jitsu intersects with identity, business, and community. Grappling Monthly publishes across YouTube, Instagram, Substack, and major podcast platforms. Subscribe and turn on notifications. IG and TikTok: @grapplingmonthly For sponsorships and collaborations: [email protected] #ucla #uclawrestling #ncwarrior #usawrestling #grappling #grapplingmonthly #sports #varsity